The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
by Araea Swiftwind
Summary: No Daddy, please don't hurt him! I'll be good, I promise. Don't take him away from me! Please!
1. Prologue

**The Light At The End Of The Tunnel**

Prologue – 1990 (9 years old)

**A/N:** So, this is the prologue of my very first Kingdom Hearts/FFVII crossover story. I wrote the prototype for this as a submission for State Testing in Oregon. I didn't actually submit it, but I was thinking about it. I went back through this right before I finished it and decided that it was crap and didn't fit with the rest of the story, so I scrapped most of it and rewrote it. The only part that is original to the story is the first part in italics. I hope you all enjoy this story, because I worked really hard on this. The next few chapters will come when I get at least 10 reviews.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either FVII or Kingdom Hearts, but I am writing this story for pleasure as opposed to profit. So, if you want to sue me, you will be paying more in legal fees than you will be getting out of me.

**Warning:** This story is a bit dark, and will probably be a bit angsty. I am hoping that some of the later chapters might make you cry, but I guess it depends on the person. There will be mentions of non-con, child molestation, murder, and verbal abuse. But, it will get better, because as the chapter states, there will be a "light at the end of the tunnel". And not the kind of light that means you're dead either.

Enjoy!

_

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It started with an innocent touch. In moments, it became so much more. He used his strong, capable hands to shove the terrified little boy against the wall. Because He was his father, the little boy didn't fully realize that what was going on was terribly wrong. Even though he didn't understand, something told him to fight back. It didn't matter how hard he fought; nothing was working. By the time he got free, he was already broken and crying on the floor._

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Six years later, and Riku still suffered from his horrible memories. He remembered all of the horrible things that his father did to him. Riku was often plagued with fits of sadness and depression. That was why he was in "special care". That meant that he was sent to a home with a parent/parents that understood what he had been through and could help him cope.

Riku had been in this house with Sephiroth for a few months now. It was a pretty easy life, except when he was getting picked on by the kids at school for being such a crybaby. No one wanted to play with him. Riku was all alone, until he went home and Sephiroth was there, waiting for him. And Cloud. How Riku loved Cloud.

Cloud Strife was Sephiroth's boyfriend. Not many people knew that, which was a good thing for Riku. He didn't mind that Sephiroth liked other boys, but he didn't want the other kids in school to make fun of him for that too. Riku hated being picked on. But, more than that, he hated not being able to defend himself. He was weak, and he would always be weak…or at least, that was what he thought.

Sitting on the floor of his expansive closet, Riku rested his head on his knees and let go of the tears that were filling his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop crying. The tears always came. Slowly, Riku's head started to pound from all the crying he had been doing lately. It might have made his soul feel better to let out the tears, but it didn't do his head any good.

About fifteen minutes later, Sephiroth made his way upstairs to take a break from his depositions and rest in his own bed. Before he got to his room, he passed Riku's. Stopping, he decided that it might be a good idea to take a peek and see how Riku was doing. Slipping the door open quietly, so as to not wake the boy should he be sleeping, Sephiroth noticed that Riku wasn't in bed. It didn't really strike the man as odd—it was only two o'clock in the afternoon.

Sephiroth then walked around the room, looking for anything out-of-place, and noticed nothing. He stopped at the large, walk-in closet. He could hear muffled sounds of crying and the faint intake and exhalation of breathe coming from Riku. Smiling sadly to himself, Sephiroth opened the closet door and walked in. He found his young charge sitting on the floor in the corner of the closet.

It was actually a normal place to find Riku. The boy was mildly afraid of the dark when he was in a large, open space. But, something was different when he was in the closet. He felt safe. And Sephiroth accepted that. At first, he had made Riku stop going in the closet, but when the boy grew despondent and uncooperative, Sephiroth caved in and let the boy be.

He stooped down and picked up his young foster-son. He knew that the boy had probably been in the closet for a while, and needed his rest. During the first month that Riku was living with Sephiroth, he had been getting sick quite a bit from the strain of his depression. Now that Sephiroth let the boy be, Riku was doing a lot better. Sephiroth thought that perhaps Riku wouldn't have to leave this time. Maybe he could be comfortable enough in Sephiroth's house to stay.

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F/A/N: So, this is the very first part of The Light At The End Of The Tunnel. I am going to, henceforth, be calling this TLATEOTT, because, oddly enough, it is shorter. I should have the first chapter, the second part, of this up as soon as I get at least 10 reviews for this story. So, if you liked it and want to read more, review this bad boy and I'll post more. If I don't get 10 reviews within about a month, maybe two, then I might just take this story off of and solely have it on See ya on the flip side! 


	2. Isolation

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Chapter One: Isolation-1990

Character Ages:

Riku: 9 years old

Sephiroth: 29 years old

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Kingdom Hearts. I don't even own the games or a game station to play them on. The only thing I own is this plot, such as it is, and the laptop that I am typing this on. I do not make any money in the writing of this fanfic, though I wish I did because I need the money. But I don't make any... so sad for me. So, if you sue me for writing this story, then I will merely laugh at you for suing someone with no money.

**Warning:** This story has mature themes and is not for under aged persons(like 15 or younger) or persons who have problems with rape, molestation, murder or any other things that could send a person to prison. This story talks about such things as well as foster care and the American justice system. There are bad things that happen to a small child, so if you do not like that or cannot tolerate reading it, then this story is probably not for you. I do not "get off" on reading or writing these kinds of things. I only write them in this story to make the future plot develop properly. These mature themes will only be referred to in the first few chapters, and if at all in the last portion, only briefly as a past experience. I predict that by the fifth chapter that no more mention of horrific adult themes will be present.

**A/N:** I am sorry that I am so long winded up there in my warning, but I want to avoid flames and people calling me bad names for what happens to the characters in this story. So far I have three chapters written on this story, and I am hoping to start the next on soon. I think that I am only going to post one chapter at a time and wait a little while before posting the next one. Look for "Chapter Two: Reminiscing-1987" by March 2008.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Isolation.

That feeling you get when everyone around you

Has someone but you are by yourself.

Isolation isn't your choice."

After writing that poem, Riku shut his notebook and turned off the small book light that he was using to write. The closet quickly reclaimed its darkness, and instantly Riku felt better. He loved the darkness, it was like a lover to him--sweet and seductive, and always there to comfort him.

As Riku was lulled into a trance induced by the darkness, Sephiroth was slowly walking up the dark staircase. Riku had been up in his room for a few hours now, and Sephiroth hadn't heard a word or noise from the room the entire time. Riku had only come to live with him a week prior to this, so Sephiroth still got worried about him easily. Because he had not heard any noise from Riku, he was going to make sure that the young boy was okay. As Sephiroth climbed, he thought of reasons why Riku could be so quiet. The first explanation was that Riku had fallen asleep. The next, that Riku was reading. The third, and most plausible, reason was that something had frightened Riku and he was hiding.

At the door Sephiroth paused to listen for sounds. Still, he heard nothing from his son's room. Slowly, he eased the door open and went in. Looking around, he didn't see anything--no movement, no Riku, no mess...no anything. A cold breeze blew swiftly through the slightly opened window and Sephiroth shivered. Sighing, he turned to the left and walked softly to the closet. He didn't want to scare Riku.

Riku listened as Sephiroth climbed up the stairs and made his way into the room. He knew as soon as Sephiroth entered the room because he could smell the man's scent. Riku knew that Sephiroth always smelled the same. His new father usually smelled like sandalwood and orange spice tea. The smell was comforting to Riku, and as Sephiroth drew closer, Riku started to breathe more deeply and evenly.

When Sephiroth opened the closet door, he found Riku half asleep in the darkest corner of the large rectangular space. He really was a lucky boy to have a walk-in closet, but he was the type of boy who didn't care about that kind of stuff, in fact, he didn't care about much of anything. Riku had been bounced around from one foster home to the next, and because of that, he had lost his compassion. He had lost his vitality. Sephiroth just hoped that he could bring that passion back to his little boy.

Bending down, the silver haired man scooped up his son and took him to his bed. Before being put down in bed, Riku fluttered his eyes open and turned his face to look at his father, "Sephy...please don't go away." Riku's aqua eyes bored into Sephiroth's soul and unconditional love flowed from the older man to his son.

"Of course, Riku. I'm not going anywhere if I have anything to say about it. You're my son now, Riku, and believe it or not I love you. It is my job to take care of you, and not only do I have to do it, I want to do it. You mean the world to me, and I couldn't handle life without you. Now, enough talk. You really need sleep." Riku's eyes were drooping and he was cuddling deep into his father's chest.

Sephiroth gently placed Riku down onto the bed and pulled the covers up to the boy's shoulders. Riku smiled and closed his eyes once again. Curling up into a ball, he gave a soft sigh before finally relenting to sleep. Sephiroth smiled at his fragile son and brushed the pale hair from his face. With a small tug on the hem of the blanket to make sure it was in place, Sephiroth left the room.

That night, Sephiroth took out the journal that Riku gave him shortly after the boy was comfortable in his new home. Sometimes he still felt uncomfortable reading the little boy's words, but now he knew he needed to learn a bit more about what happened to his small foster-son in the past. He opened the journal up to the place he left off at: 5 April 1987.

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A/N: So, what did you think? Is it too crappy? Not crappy enough? Just enough crappy to make it worth reading? Please let me in on what you think about this atrocity and then look for the next chapter soon. Thanks for reading!

Yuki of the Kamikaze


	3. Reminiscing

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Chapter Two: Reminiscing – 1987 (6 years old)

Disclaimer: I don't own, and if you want more details about that, read the other chapters.

Warning: Mature content. For the young (like under 14) and the squeamish, this story is probably not for you. There is mention of non-con, child molestation, abuse, murder, criminal negligence, and all around evil-ness.

A/N: See bottom. Or my profile. Or other chapters.

Enjoy!

5 April 1987

Green, dew covered grass grows softly beneath my feet. Bare, my feet love the feeling of the plush grass beneath them. I am outside today, the fifth of April, because Daddy has a friend over and he doesn't want me around. It is times like now that I miss Mommy most.

Mommy died three years ago this June. I get sad because I know Daddy did it. But I can't tell those people at the police station, Daddy says, because I ain't got no "proofs". I don't know what "proofs" are, but I know Daddy killed Mommy because she was going to take me and leave Daddy.

Now, I hear Daddy and his friend playing upstairs together. I don't like Daddy's friend because he likes to look at me funny. Daddy's friend has a name, Säix, but he gets all happy and stuff when I use it. Daddy also has a name, Xemnas, but I get hit when I call him by his name. In fact, I get hit when I just talk to Daddy, or even if I look at him. Daddy doesn't like me much, and Mommy loved me too much.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Daddy and his friend coming out of the house towards me. They are far enough away so that I still have time to hide, but close enough that Daddy would see me run away. I know better than to run away from Daddy when he can see me. So, like the good little boy that I am, I stay put until Daddy and his friend get to where I am sitting.

Daddy's friend comes up to me first. He runs his long fingers through my silver hair, and he gets this look on his face that means he is really happy with me. Daddy is watching his friend play with my hair without saying anything. His friend looks over at him, and something is communicated without them using any words. Daddy nods his head before turning around and walking back towards the house. He calls over his shoulder, "Be a good boy, Riku!"

I know that Daddy meant that I should do whatever his friend tells me to do. I also know that I am not going to like what it is that he tells me to do. But, I am a good boy and will do what Daddy wants. Daddy's friend is looking at me with this "wanting" look, like the one I sometimes get when I see a piece of cake that I can't have. I am afraid of that look.

Daddy's friend smiles at me and asks, "Riku, will you please say my name today? I really like it when you do."

I really don't want to do it, but I know I have to. If I don't, Säix will get angry and "playtime" will be more painful than if I cooperate. To tell the truth, I don't like "playtime", but "playtime" with Säix is better than "playtime" with Daddy. Säix usually is nice and doesn't touch me rough like Daddy does.

Maybe I am weird or something, but when Säix and I have "playtime", I go someplace else in my head so I don't have to think about what he is doing to me. When it happens now, I don't know what Säix does to me, but the first time we had "playtime", I didn't know how to go someplace else.

Flashback

"Daddy…why did Mommy go away?" I said with a sniffle. Daddy looked at me with an evil sneer. I, even being three, could tell that Daddy hated me. Ever since Mommy went away, Daddy has looked at me like it was my fault. But I know that I didn't make Mommy go away.

But, back to Daddy. He said, with that nasty sneer, "Do you want to know why your bitch of a mother is gone, Riku? She's gone because she got what was coming to her. Your bitch of a mother can't take you away from me now, Riku." Daddy ended his explanation with a startling sweetness that made my name sound dirty.

Moving away from the chair in front of the fire, Daddy came towards me and knelt down in front of me, placing his large hands on my small shoulders. Daddy didn't usually show me affection, but I felt that that might change now that Mommy was gone. I love Mommy, but now that she's gone, Daddy is all that I have left.

About a week after Daddy showed the first signs of affection towards me, he introduced me to his friend, Säix. After that first meeting, I knew better than to call Säix by his name. So I started calling him Daddy's Friend.

Daddy's Friend came over a lot, and most of the time it was to talk to Daddy or do him "favors". But there were a few times that Daddy's Friend was only there to see me. Those were the days I tried to hide, but Daddy would always find me. And Daddy always punished me for running away.

Daddy's Friend was a bit more forgiving, but he punished me in his own way. The first time I ran away was the time he punished me by starting "playtime". When he told Daddy, Daddy was pleased and made me always let him punish me like that.

That was when I realized that Daddy didn't love me. That was when I realized that Daddy's Friend did. I was confused and upset. I thought it was supposed to be that your Daddy loved you most, next to Mommy. I didn't want Daddy's Friend to love me. At least not then.

End Flashback

I come out of my "someplace else" too soon and I know Säix isn't done with me. At first, I panic. I forget that I am supposed to be a good boy and be still, so I try to get free. I am crying, and I can tell that this startles Säix. I haven't acted this way since that first time. It is plain to see that Säix isn't certain about what is going on.

He pulls out of me and wraps my small, naked body in his warm, strong arms. I know now that Säix has never stopped loving me, all these years. I also know that, during those years I have known Säix, I have started to love him too. I don't know when it happened, but I know that it did.

For many minutes, my small body is wracked with sobs and trembles in Säix's arms. I wonder why I am crying—I never have before—but that is still a mystery to me. Säix pets my hair and whispers, "It's okay" in my ear. Slowly, I calm down, reveling in the affection I am getting and the love that I am feeling.

And then, just when my soul is starting to heal, Daddy comes out of the house and sees. He sees Säix holding me close and whispering in my ear. He sees me holding on to Säix for dear life. He sees the tears on my face and the scratches on Säix from my fingernails. Daddy sees everything. Daddy gets mad.

I am scared of Daddy now. He looks like he wants to kill me. He reaches out his hand to grab me by my hair, but Säix stops him. Säix tells him that it's okay. I didn't hurt him. I didn't do anything wrong. Instead of this making Daddy feel better and go away, this makes Daddy madder.

I can't stop what Daddy is doing. I can't move anymore. Daddy threw me away from Säix and now I can't move. I can't feel either. My body is numb. My mind is too. All I can do is see. I get to see Daddy hit Säix. I get to see Daddy pull out a gun. I get to see Daddy take Säix away from me. I get to see the kindness end. Daddy is happy. I am not.

All of a sudden the feeling comes rushing back to my body and I can feel. I don't want to, but I can. Pain, sorrow, nausea. I just want to close my eyes and make all of this go away. I do. I close my eyes tight, wait a few seconds, and then open them again. Daddy is still kneeling over Säix's lifeless body, but now he is crying a little bit. I don't think he knows that I can see him. He has never broken down in front of me before. I don't feel bad for Daddy though. I know that all of this is his fault. Everything is Daddy's fault because he is a bad man.

As I lie there on the ground, unable to move, and Daddy cries over Säix's body, sirens come close to the house. I know what sirens mean, so I am happy that they are coming. I hate Daddy now. I know that Daddy knows what sirens mean too, but Daddy doesn't seem to hear them. The police mean and ambulance people come tot eh back yard at a run, but Daddy never looks up. He has eyes only for his dead lover and mine. We shared Säix, and now he's dead, and maybe soon Daddy will be too. The ambulance people check Säix first, find out he's dead, and then come over to me. I want to run away—I'm still naked—but I still can't move. They check to see how bad I'm hurt, and then they put me on this hard bed thing, and take me to their ambulance.

Before I go I see the police take my daddy and put shiny bracelets on him. He is still only looking at Säix, but he isn't crying anymore. His face is stony, and I think he is dying inside. He loved Säix, probably more than Mommy, and then he killed him.

I start to feel sorry for Daddy. I'm sorry because Daddy is such a mean person. I'm sorry that Daddy kills people. And for once, I'm sorry that Daddy's gonna die. I don't know what's gonna happen now, but I hope it's better than in was.

A/N: So…please review and tell me how sad this was. Or even how not sad it was. Or, tell me if you thought that this was utter rubbish and I should go jump off a cliff and spare the world my horrible writing. Please, just review. I would love to see at least 5 reviews for this story so that I can update it for you. I have chapters that have been sitting here forever because I forgot about them. So, if you give me five reviews, then I will post the next chapter.


	4. Hope

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Chapter Three: Hope – 1991 (10 years old)

A/N: So, here is the third chapter, fourth part of this story. It mildly ends in a weird spot: not really a cliffhanger, but not entirely a good ending spot. Mostly, I was tired of writing on this chapter, so decided that everything else would go on the next one.

Disclaimer: Have you not been reading the other chapters?

Warning: This chapter is mostly filler stuff that is mildly need-to-know. It will get to more of the good stuff next chapter. Sephiroth and Cloud, and maybe Riku, are a bit out of character, but I like it that way, so you don't need to inform me. Sephiroth is the way he is in my story because he was never in the military, and so he is just a regular guy. This is definitely AU, so please don't flame me for that either.

Enjoy!

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Riku blinked his eyes and then brought up a small, pale hand to rub the sting out of them. He had been hunched in his dark closet again, writing down the memories that were flooding back to haunt him. At first, Riku had crawled into the deep, dark recesses of his closet to feel safe, but then the large, hairy monsters of the dark used their large claws to slowly climb their way out of Hell and into the closet to torture him. Riku pulled out his book light and turned the blinding bulb on. As quickly as the monsters had started to appear, they shrank back into Hell.

Now, Riku was curled up on his side after turning off the light. He was very tired and wanted to get some sleep. It was about 12:00 a.m. when Riku had crawled into the closet. He had been in there for at least two hours. It was late. Slowly, Riku's eyelids grew heavier and heavier until they closed softly and his breathing slowed. Sleep came on soft, gossamer wings and wrapped Riku in her warmth.

=======Meanwhile=======

Sephiroth trudged up the stairs with a heavy sigh. He had spent the first few hours of the morning in court. After a year, he still had to fight for custody of Riku. A new man, Auron Velvel, was putting in a claim for Riku. He told the courts that he was Xemnas' brother-in-law and business partner. He felt that because he was Riku's only family that the boy should live with him. Sephiroth merely wondered what had taken the man so long to ask for custody. The courts looked over Auron's record and found that he had been charged and acquitted of child neglect of his own son, the same age as Riku. The courts felt that it would be in Riku's best interest to stay with Sephiroth for the time being. They also said that if Auron made a better effort with his own family, then I four month's there would be a second hearing to discuss Riku's placement again. During those four months, Sephiroth would not be allowed to adopt the boy or take him out of the country, or state. Sephiroth was mildly worried about the outcome of that hearing, but wouldn't worry too much about it just yet.

The second part of the morning was spent meeting with the headmasters of the local private schools. He really wanted to take Riku out of the abusive Traverse Town public school and place him in a safer environment. The best school that Sephiroth found was St. Henriette's, a Catholic school ran by Reverend Mother Aerith Veda-Gainsborough, a long-time friend of Could's. Cloud was the one who suggested that Sephiroth should move Riku to a better learning environment. Sephiroth knew that that was a good idea.

At the top of the stairs, he heard Riku talking in his soft, angelic voice. Cloud's deeper, but equally soft, voice replied. Sephiroth smiled. It was good that the two of them were getting along. Sephiroth contentedly stood outside the door and listened to the soft and deep rumbles that were Riku and Cloud's conversation. He couldn't hear words, only vibrations. As he was standing there, the rumbles slowed and stopped. Moments later, Cloud quietly opened the door and slipped out, trying not to wake Riku.

Cloud turned from opening and closing the door and looked at Sephiroth. Sephiroth smiled at the spiky-haired man and moved forward to wrap his arms around him. Cloud gave a soft hum and placed a sweet kiss on Sephiroth's pale pink lips. They both sighed and pulled apart. Taking Cloud's hand, Sephiroth led him to the bedroom so that they could talk.

"So, how did things go today?" Cloud asked expectantly.

Sephiroth sighed once again before saying, "Well, the trial went well. Auron's claim was denied for the time being because he was accused of neglecting his own son. The courts are going to give him another hearing in four months. We shouldn't worry about is until then.

"Also, I talked with Reverend Mother Aerith." Sephiroth shifted and curled up into Cloud's warm side. Cloud kissed the top of his lover's head and nudged him t continue. "She thinks that St. Henriette's would be the best place for him because she could keep an eye on him. I agree. I don't want to see Riku come home with bruises anymore. I don't want people to pick on my son."

Cloud squeezed Sephiroth a little tighter before saying, "You know, if Aerith is always protecting him, Riku will probably be picked on worse when she isn't around. What he needs is someone who can give him the constant reassurance and courage he needs to protect himself."

Sephiroth looked like he was going to interrupt, but Cloud placed a manicured finger to his lips. "No, Hun. Let me tell you something. I love you very much, and I love Riku too. I might not have fostered him for a year like you did, but he is my son too. I don't want to see him get hurt anymore that you do."

Sephiroth sighed in understanding. "So, what do you suggest?"

Cloud looked pensive for a moment before he mentioned, "How about finding Riku someone to pal around with at school? Do you have a cousin or brother or nephew or something that we could get to move in here and go to school with Riku?"

Sephiroth thought for a moment, then said, "Well, do you really think that is such a good idea. I mean, I really don't want Riku to feel like we don't trust him, or think he is too weak to fend for himself. I want him to feel like he doesn't need anyone to protect him from the little things. I could get a cousin or nephew to move in, as could you, but I don't know how Riku would feel about us butting in to his life."

Cloud smiled and replied, "See, this is why I love you so much. You don't just think of how to solve a problem, you make sure that the solution doesn't cause more problems. You care for your son very much, and I admire that." Sephiroth playfully batted Cloud on the shoulder.

"Are you mocking me, Strife?"

"Of course not, Seph."

"Right. Like I believe you."

"I'm insulted, Hun. You should always believe me, except on April first."

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and stopped playing their little game. "I want to go check on Riku, okay? Do you think you could go get dinner started?"

Cloud gave Sephiroth a sweet peck on the lips and slid off the bed. "Sure thing. Make sure you give the little guy a kiss for me before dinner. And maybe, when he wakes up, you could broach the subject of getting a family member to move in. But, maybe, suggest it more for companionship than protection. Because, at the very least, he could use a friend." With a smile to each other, both men left the room for their destinations.

A/N: Okay, so there was chapter three of The Light. How did everyone like it? I hope it was as good as the other chapters. I feel pretty good about this one, and it is starting to get closer to where I originally wanted it to go. The next chapter should introduce a few new characters, as will the one following. Check my profile for more information on upcoming chapters and stories.


	5. Companionship

**Disclaimer:** I _don't own_ FFVII or Kingdom Hearts. Aaand, I _don't make any money_ off of this...no one would pay me to make them cry anyways...  
**Warning:** This story is bittersweet. It might even make you cry. **_It has past mentions of non-con, rape, molestation, and other bad things that parents get sent to prison for._** (Afterall, Riku is in foster care for a reason...) From here on out, however, the story should get happier. This story is AU, and as such, some/many of the characters are OOC. It's intentional.  
**A/N:** Here is the fourth chapter of The Light At The End Of The Tunnel, as the title below suggests. I hope you like it, as I think it is kinda cute. (This chapter goes out to **Jayden,** who is seriously the **best **thing since _sliced bread_ and _blueberry muffins_.)

* * *

**The Light At The End Of The Tunnel**

Chapter Four: _Companionship_ – 1991 (10 years old)

* * *

Riku stretched a little, then rolled over onto his back. His head was still a little foggy from sleep, but he felt content. His little aqua eyes fluttered open, then widened quickly as he realized that he was not alone in his room. Sitting up slowly, he turned his gaze to the person who had intruded on his sanctuary. It was Sephiroth, his father.

"Good evening, Riku. Did you sleep well?"

The silver-haired boy rubbed his eyes with the back of one hand, then gave a small yawn. "Yeah, I dreamt about the prettiest person I can ever remember seeing. He was short, and a little pudgy…like he still had all his baby fat. But his eyes, they were so blue, like papa Cloud's. And his hair…it was kinda like papa Cloud's too, only brown. And he had a huge smile on his face…it made me happy. He told me that he would be my friend forever…and that he would be coming to see me soon.

"Daddy, are all dreams only dreams? I really want this one to be real…"

Sephiroth's breath hitched, and his eyes began to water. His son…needed a friend. "I don't know, Riku. Maybe…maybe this boy is real? Would you like someone to be here for you? A friend?"

Riku's brow wrinkled in confusion, "What do you mean, Daddy? Are you gonna foster someone else? Is papa Cloud pregnant?"

The older silver-haired man chuckled at the last, "No, papa Cloud isn't pregnant, and I'm not planning on fostering any more children right now. But, I wanted to know if you'd like a friend to stay here with you. Maybe someone to go to school with?"

"I dunno…where would this person come from? I don't want to ruin their life…"

"Oh, Riku…you couldn't ever ruin someone's life. If we got you a friend, it would either be someone from my family, or someone from papa Cloud's family. Someone who can be your best friend."

Riku looked skeptical. He didn't know why his daddy wanted to get him a friend so bad, and he didn't know if he wanted a friend. Really, he just wanted that boy from his dream. No one else could make him feel as happy…feel as loved. "Daddy…I want that boy…from my dream. If you can't find him, then I'm okay by myself…"

Cloud took that moment to come up the stairs and inform the two silver-haired people that he held most dear that their dinner was ready. "Are you ready to eat, Riku? I made your favorite…baked lemon-pepper salmon."

The pretty aqua eyes grew large to hear. "Really? I thought I only got that on my birthday…thank you papa."

The blonde man was shocked. He had never before heard Riku refer to him as "papa". Sephiroth had always been daddy, but Cloud had always just been Cloud. To know that Riku saw him as his papa…it made the man happy to hear. "I decided, Riku, that today is a special day…and you deserve to have whatever you want."

"Why? Did I do something?"

Cloud smiled, "You were you today, so it's special."

Sephiroth chuckled softly. His boyfriend was an idiot sometimes, but at least he loved them deeply. He knew that Cloud would give Riku the world if he could. Riku was their most precious person, and whatever they could do to make the boy happy, that is what they would do.

Riku's stomach growled and he blushed. "I think Tummy is trying to say he wants some food. Hehe."

Both men smiled and Sephiroth tussled Riku's platinum locks. "Then why don't we get you dressed in some clean clothes so that we can go down and eat that yummy fish that papa Cloud made, hm?"

"Yeah!"

The trio worked on getting Riku dressed, then headed down the stairs to eat dinner. It was as Cloud was serving his boys the lemon-pepper salmon that a knock came at the door. All three people automatically turned their heads towards the door as if by looking, the person that interrupted their meal would magically appear. Cloud set the serving platter down and went to answer the door.

Behind the sky blue door were three people. At the front, with a delicate fist raised to knock on the door once more, was Reverend Mother Aerith. She was dressed in her black habit with a pretty wooden rosary around her waist. Standing to either side of her were more faces that Cloud recognized: Marlene and Denzel.

Aerith spoke as soon as Cloud had opened the door. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, Cloud, but this is a grave matter. May we come in?"

The cerulean eyes widened a fraction, and he nodded his head in ascent. Aerith took the left and right hands of the children to her sides and ushered them into the home in front of her. Before she fully crossed the threshold, she turned around to look at someone behind her. Cloud hadn't noticed him before, as he was standing directly behind the Reverend Mother.

"Come on, Sora. These people won't hurt you. We need to talk with them, okay?"

The brunette looked down at his shoes and quietly followed Aerith into the house. Cloud was the last to enter, and closed the door. "Let's talk in the living room, shall we? Do you remember where that is, Aer? I'm going to go tell the boys that I'll be back as soon as we are done here."

Aerith nodded her head and led the three children into the aforementioned living room. Sora reluctantly began to follow her, but his gaze followed the spiky-haired blonde into the dining room. His cerulean eyes locked with the aqua ones of Riku, and his breath caught in his throat. Before he could even formulate a thought, he was running towards that safe haven.

Riku, upon seeing the perfect boy from his dreams, got up from the table and ran towards him. The two met in the entryway and latched onto each other. Aqua orbs began leaking tears down pale peach cheeks, whilst cerulean gems secreted saline onto the sun kissed flesh of their owner. Both boys felt safe in each other's arms. It was like coming home after a very long time away.

All three adults hurried into the room to see what had made the children suddenly run away, and the sight that met their eyes melted a few hearts. The two boys were tightly wrapped around each other and crying. Though the tears continued to fall, there were happy smiles on both faces.

"Riku…" Sephiroth began. "Is he…the one?" The tall man didn't want to give too much away with his words. He knew that his son would understand what he was asking, but no one else would be able to decipher the cryptic phrase…or at least, not correctly. Both Cloud and Aerith gave Sephiroth curious looks before turning their gazes back to the two children.

Riku never moved from Sora's embrace, but answered his daddy. "Yeah…he is. I never thought…that he was real."

Sora smiled a little wider, then spoke, "I told you I would be coming to see you very soon…but even I didn't know how soon. I've been looking for you for a very long time, Riku Himura, and now I have found you."

Aerith gasped and placed a pale hand to her mouth. She had always known that Sora was special, since the day she gave birth to him. He was her little angel, and sometimes, she thought that description was quite literal. For the last three years, Sora had been talking about a beautiful silver-haired boy with piercing aqua eyes that had been hurt very badly by someone he loved.

Because of Sora's "specialness", he was quite shy. He didn't trust people, so he was kept secluded, where he was safe. Meeting new people scared him, and most adults terrified the boy to the point of having a panic attack. But children, they produced a mixed reaction is Sora. Some scared him as much as adults, and others…those children were given the sheltering protection of her dear angel. It seemed that Riku was one of those special other children that Sora loved.

Cloud spoke up, finally unable to take the silence and the tension. "What is going on? Riku, do you know this boy?"

Riku's pale face was graced with a large smile, the first true smile that came from the soul that either Cloud or Sephiroth had ever seen. "I've never met Sora before, but I know him. He's been in my dreams. He comforts me. He makes me happy."

"Sephiroth, Cloud…I think we should all sit down and talk about this." Reverend Mother Aerith said in a quiet voice. It was time they knew some secrets she had been keeping. It was time for many explanations.


	6. Secrets

**Disclaimer:** Anything recognizable is most likely not my property...but on the off chance that it is, don't plagiarize...like me. Heh.  
**Warning:** This story contains mature themes...like...seriously bad things that adults get sent to prison for...and kids get sent to juvie for until they are old enough to go to prison. Don't attempt anything you read here at home. Also...if you are a younger child-person...I wouldn't read this...but if you read this anyways...don't talk about it in front of a parent...unless you want to get in trouble... But, that is just my advice.  
**A/N:** Sorry for the long winded warning. But, I want to add one more thing. This story will contain Christian themes. If you have a problem with that religion, or reading a story that contains GOD, then I highly doubt you should be reading this. Also, the characters are a bit OOC...but I know that, so you don't have to tell me. This story is going where it is going...and I'm just along for the ride. If you want more info on the whole OOC issue, go back and read the first warning...I am pretty sure it talks about it there. Anyways, read on!

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The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Chapter Five ~ Secrets 1991 (10 years old)

* * *

Aerith, Sora, Marlene and Denzel all sat close together on a tan sofa in the living room. Sephiroth, Cloud and Riku sat cuddle together on the equally tan loveseat, which sat adjacent to the sofa. No one seemed to want to break the silence, though Aerith had a lot to tell the three males eagerly awaiting her information. There were years of things to impart, but it all seemed to be bottled up inside.

Sora opened his mouth. It seemed as though he would be the one telling the tales today, as opposed to his mother. "There is much you all are wondering, and much you need to know. So far, you have discovered that Miss Aerith here is my mother. That…is partially true. She is the one who gave birth to me, but…well." Here the brunette paused, unsure as to how to proceed. How does one go about telling perfect strangers that he is not of this plane of existence?

Riku wiggled out from in between his parents and walked over to Sora. He grabbed one of the boy's small hands and squeezed it tightly. "It's okay, Sora. We'll believe you."

A beautiful smile lit up the young child's face and he continued his tale. "I'm an angel, as my mother often refers to me. A creation of the heavens, sent here to help those children who are suffering. I have worked with hundreds of children in the last ten years. I am their friend, and sometimes, I am their only family. And above all, I am their savior.

"I first learned of Riku seven years ago when his mother died. I could feel his hurt, his pain, his fear. His father was not a good man, and I was supposed to intervene. But I also was only three at the time, and could not help as I was intended to. Soon, however, another angel was assigned to watch over Riku…though…this angel had been on Earth for too long, and had been influenced somewhat by the darkness he had been fighting.

"Saix was…a good man. He just fell… But when he was with Riku, regardless of the things he did, his heart was uplifted and some of the darkness faded away. It had come to my attention that he was in love with little Riku, though he was far too old to be acting on such feelings. And because he did…because he acted on them, and because he was in love with Riku…he died. And God did not accept him back into his fold. The poor lamb was cast down…for his love.

"When I learned of this, I cried. I thought, being young still, that God was being unfair. I know better now, but…well, that is something different. When Saix was killed, I had no idea what would happen to Riku. He no longer had one of us at his side. He was unprotected…and unfortunately he paid the price for that."

Aerith had one hand over her mouth, shocked by the tale her son was spinning. She had never before heard Riku's story. She quickly cast a glance at the other two children on the couch, and saw that they did not understand everything that was being said. It was for the best that they did not.

Sephiroth and Cloud were holding each other's hands tightly. They had never heard Riku's full story either. Both just knew that they boy had been abused at home, and that his father was a murderer. The couple now better understood the child, and could find new ways to help him.

Sora's eyes were glistening, and Riku was holding tight to his hand. They shared Riku's past pain, and for that Riku was thankful. Never before had someone understood his pain, never before had someone been able to take away the ache of loneliness. Sora did all of those things, and more.

"After father was taken away for killing Saix…the government came and took me too. I don't know what happened to mommy's house, but I never want to see it again." This time, Riku felt brave enough to tell a tale. "This lady with bright blonde hair came and took me to her house. She had a daughter, but the daughter never spoke. After I was there for a week, I knew why…and I never spoke either."

All of the adults got a very sad look in their face, and Aerith pulled the other two kids closer to her, giving them a hug. Sora decided that he could finish now, after Riku spoke his piece.

"The woman Riku went to stay with was a child abuser. Her daughter, Namine, was killed last year by that woman." Riku gasped and tears sprung to his eyes, but continued to listen to Sora. "After that woman, Riku was then placed in a man's care. He was not a good man either, but he pretended for the government. This man…liked little boys like Riku. Such horrible things happened in that house, and all the time I was powerless to stop it. For two years, all I could do what wait for a time when I was old enough to help Riku.

"After that evil man, Riku was brought here. At first, I was certain that this place would be as bad as the last. I was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed that Mr. Sephiroth was a good man, as was his companion, Mr. Cloud. They love Riku with half of their hearts, which is more than Riku has been loved by anyone in the last seven years. The only ones to ever love him more are God, and his mother in heaven." Sora finished his story, then went back to his mother and sat on her lap. That was something he hadn't done for a long time, but he was feeling sad due to the immense amount of hurt he had failed to stop Riku from experiencing.

Looking at the two gay males seated on the loveseat, Riku once more between them, Aerith found the strength to tell her part. "I was contacted eleven years ago by a messenger of the lord and told that there was to be a change in my life. At the time, I was a schoolteacher, encouraging the young minds of kindergarteners to grow and develop. I was in an abusive relationship, and not very happy. I loved him, truly I did, but I could not handle the pain of living with things the way they were. On the night I was contacted, I was about to end my own life.

"The messenger came to me and told me that I was going to be leaving the place where I was living, and that there was going to be a new life under my control and care. At first, I did not believe…but soon, a peace came over me, and I knew that everything my messenger told me was truth.

"Within three months, I had conceived a child. My boyfriend was unhappy, and did not believe that the child was his. He was going to make me get rid of it, but I fled from him. I wound up at St. Henriette's cloister, and I became a nun. When I told the Reverend Mother of my encounter with the holy messenger, she felt the spirit and knew that I was telling the truth. She helped take care of me until Sora was born, then helped me take care of him until he was old enough to be less of a handful.

"Sora has always been an exceptional child, and very well-behaved. He helped many an orphanage with their children, as well as the pained children of the church. He has helped me as well. Indeed, he is an angel."

For many moments the room was silent as everyone who could took in the information that they learned. Riku felt bad for Reverend Mother Aerith, but knew that it had to happen so that she could be strong and free. Sora was still hurting inside because he let down Riku so many times in the past. Cloud was saddened that he never knew his best friend had been abused, and so he never helped her out. And Sephiroth had a single question on his mind.

"Reverend Mother, I thank you for helping us to understand where all of you have been. It will be a help to us to know what Riku has gone through so that we can aide him. But there is something that still makes me curious. You came here for a particular reason, did you not? I do not think that story telling was it."

Aerith blushed a bit, and Cloud gave a slight glare to his boyfriend, thinking that he was being rude.

"I apologize, Sephiroth. I know that you were all in the middle of dinner when I so rudely interrupted, but I do have news of grave importance. I had almost forgotten in light of the secrets being shared today." Here, she turned to Cloud and got a slightly pinched look on her face. "Cloud…I'm afraid that something terrible has happened today. This morning, at about five-thirty, there was a break-in at Tifa's. Four men entered the house intent on stealing her valuables…but…" She stopped and looked at Sora. "Sora, honey. Can you and Riku take Marlene and Denzel into the other room? I have something very important to say, but…I don't know if it would be best for you all to be here."

Sora and Riku hopped down and linked hands with each other. Then, each took the hand of one of the younger children and led them from the room, heading up the stairs towards Riku's room.

"I'm sorry. Truly, this is not something I enjoy doing. Cloud, Tifa was raped by those men, and then they killed her. Marlene and Denzel were with Sora and myself at the cloister, so they do not know anything more than that she is gone."

The world came crashing to a halt for a few excruciating moments while Cloud's heart was breaking. His sister, Tifa, had been murdered? And now, Marlene and Denzel were all alone in the world. And no matter how much he wished it were different, he would never see his big sister again. She was gone…forever.

Silver tears cascaded down Cloud's face and Sephiroth pulled him close, running a pale hand through his golden locks. So much pain, so little comfort. Why did everyone around him hurt? He knew it was not his fault, but it did not seem right that there was so much pain to be found. So many people dying…so many bad things happening to good people.

"It's…it's going to be okay…someday…I promise," Sephiroth whispered to his lover. "I'll be here every moment, and you won't be alone. We love you."

Cloud continued to cry, letting out his anguish at the news. He did not want to think of life without his sister. And how would Marlene and Denzel…how would they get by? Sucking in a deep breath, Cloud began to stifle his tears. He needed to ask Aerith a question, but he could not do that if his words were inaudible due to blubbering.

"What…what will happen to Marle and Denzel? Tifa didn't have a will…"

Aerith looked at Cloud, then Sephiroth, and finally spoke. "That is the reason I brought them with me today. They…cannot remain with me at the cloister. In fact…I am…to find a new home for Sora as well. There are many changes being made…and I am powerless to stop them. If you could, can you take them in? I realize that having just Riku can sometimes be a burden, as taking care of children sometimes is…but it is imperative that I find someone to care for them. I was hoping that they could stay with someone who knows them…someone who loves them."

Sephiroth held Cloud tight, and whispered in his ear. They talked like this for a few moments, then Cloud buried his face once more into Sephiroth's neck. The silver-haired man spoke then. "We would be more than happy to take in the three of them. We have been thinking for some time that Riku would benefit from having companions, and this way…he can perhaps help them as well. We have an extra room upstairs, next to Riku's, and Marlene and Denzel could share that for the time being. Later, we can find a better way to house all of them."

Some of the pinched lines left Aerith's face. One less worry for her to deal with at the moment. But there were always more things, unpleasant things, to be done. "Thank you both for doing this. I know that they are family, but sometimes that is not enough for people. However, there is another matter that needs to be dealt with."

"And what is that?" Sephiroth asked, tired. The whole situation was taking its toll, and his energy level was being drained. He still had to situate three children and finish dinner before the night was over.

A bit of the pinched look came back when Aerith said her next words, "Tifa's funeral. What are we to do?"

This caused a hitch in Cloud's breath. He did not want to think about his sister being dead, and planning her funeral would make that the focus. "Is there any way that the church can take care of it?"

With a nod of her habit, Aerith showed that it was indeed possible. "It would be no hardship upon us. If that is what you would have us do, than it will be taken care of over the next week."

Sephiroth looked down at his boyfriend's head. "Is that all right with you, hon?" A muffled sound and a bob of the head was the only response he received. "I suppose then that it is settled. We will have the funeral in a weeks time."

"Of course." Aerith stood and walked into the entryway. "Marlene, Denzel, Sora…?"

In moments, all four children came down the stairs. Riku and Sora had their hands clasped, as did Marlene and Denzel. Sora pulled Riku forward with him as he hugged his mother, knowing that she was leaving and they were not.

"I expect all of you to behave whilst you are here, am I clear?" All four heads nodded, though Riku needn't have. "Good. I love you all." With those words, Aerith took her leave.

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Psssst....teary yet? Please review!!


	7. Shrink

**Disclaimer:** This isn't mine, though a pinched nerve in the neck is...woot...don't I feel lucky? *sarcastic scoff*  
**Warning:** This chapter contains sap...and disappointment...and unfulfilled desires...and mentions of...dirty things...and an unfair view of one of my favorite characters, Zexion. Sorry.  
**A/N:** I liked this chapter...and I think I am doing pretty good on updating finally. A new chapter every few days. This story...I'm really getting in to it. And it helps that Jayden keeps pressing me to update. I'm dealing with a pinched nerve in my neck, a nasty headache, and the end of midterms...so I'm pretty tired and sore...but I'm trying to stick with my schedule. Anyways, please review at the end of the chapter if you decide that this story is worth it. Those reviews really do make me feel like writing more than I already do, and they lift my spirits. (Even the flames.)

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The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Chapter 6: Shrink - 1996 (15 years old)

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The room wasn't very large, but somehow it still managed to house three beds. Granted, two of those three beds were connected to form a bunk, but no one really minded. Currently, two forms were writhing around on the top bunk, small giggles erupting from one of them every few moments. Besides them, the room was empty.

"Ungh!" One of the forms groaned.

"Heheh." The other form laughed.

Then the door opened, and a third figure entered the room. The motion on the top bunk stilled, then the first two figures looked down to see who had interrupted them. There stood a young boy, about fourteen, staring up at the top of the bed.

"What are you guys doing?" The brown-haired boy asked.

Both figures at the top of the bed blushed crimson and sat back, away from the edge. Then one figure, the one with long silver hair and beautiful aquamarine eyes, leaned back over the edge and replied, "Nothing."

With a skeptical look, the boy standing on the floor shook his head. "You suck at lying, Riku."

There was a giggle from the top of the bed, then another brown head poked over the edge of the railing. "Oh, come on, Denzel. We weren't really doing anything."

"You suck at lying too, Sora. I know that you two were doing something…I just don't know what. Don't make me get Marlene…"

Both boys on the top bunk cringed, then Riku decided that he didn't need his dignity. "If you must know, you busybody, Sora and I were having a tickle fight."

"And I won!" Sora interjected. After a hearty glare from Riku, he amended, "Or, well…I would have…if you wouldn't have interrupted."

Denzel sighed and laughed softly to himself. Why were his "brothers" such weirdoes? Hearing something out in the hall, he half turned to listen more closely. "Hey, Dad's home. And so is Uncle Cloud. If you want to keep what is left of your dignity, Riku, I'd suggest coming down as soon as possible. They'll probably be up here in a sec."

It only took 1.45 seconds for Riku to scrabble down off of the bunk bed and make himself look presentable. He did not want either of his parents to think that he and Sora were doing something inappropriate. He had promised them the year before when they had caught him and Sora making out that they wouldn't go any farther than kissing. They were only fifteen after all.

True to his word, Sephiroth and Cloud started mounting the stairs seconds after Riku had made himself presentable. Sora was still on the top bunk, but as it was his bed, he pulled a book out from under his pillow and pretended to read. Denzel had moved to sit on his own bed, which left Riku standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Just moments before there was a knock on the door, Riku shifted back to look in the mirror on his desk.

"Hello, boys. We're back from the store. How was it while we were gone?" Sephiroth asked in his typically soft voice. He only ever sounded scary when he was angry…and they only ever found that out once…when Sora accidentally walked in on him and Cloud having sex…and didn't leave for a full two minutes. (That boy seriously had a death wish sometimes.)

All three boys looked towards their parental figures, and intoned in the same voice at the same moment, "Fine."

Cloud looked like he wanted to laugh, but couldn't because it might anger his boyfriend. "Oh, really? And nothing happened while we were gone?"

Each of the three teens looked at one another before training their eyes back to the two adults standing at the door. "Nope," was their consecutive reply.

Cloud and Sephiroth shared a look for a moment, then decided to let it go. The boys were acting strangely…but they were teenage boys and that happened. Arching one silver eyebrow, Sephiroth gave his boys a look before following his boyfriend out of the room.

"Okay, was that weird, or is it just me?" Sora asked, once more leaning over the top bunk.

Riku and Denzel shrugged. "There is no denying that you are weird, but I do think that this situation was a bit…odd." Riku sighed and straightened his already straight hair in the mirror, then turned to sit on his bed. Things were quiet for a moment, somewhat like the quiet that happens on a lazy weekend afternoon when everyone is bored and no one knows what to do.

With a stretch and a sigh, Denzel stood up and blinked a few times. "I'm going to go find Marle. She probably knows of something fun to do. See ya around."

Riku scoffed, "It's not like you're going anywhere. Don't try and act so tough, dork."

Denzel just flipped Riku off before leaving the room. Sometimes, his older "brother" was a pain.

"So, now that we're alone again, and the sergeants have already come for inspections…you wanna do something?" Sora was pretty lewd sometimes.

Riku cast a nervous glance at the door, then shrugged. "Sure, but we're gonna do it in my bed, okay? I don't want to play monkey if we get interrupted."

Sora laughed, but swung down off of his bed anyways. Once on the floor, he walked up to Riku and poked the silver-haired boy in the side. "You leading, or am I?"

Instead of verbalizing his choice, Riku merely pulled his love closer and kissed him slowly and gently. Sora mewled into the kiss and wrapped himself around the other as much as he could without falling over. Riku placed his hands on the underside of Sora's thighs and hefted him up so that they brunette could wrap his legs around the silverette's waist.

Riku moaned throatily into their kiss and slowly walked them back so that he was standing against the edge of his bed. Sora wiggled and they toppled backwards, Riku on the bottom. They both smiled into the kiss and slightly changed the angle of their mouths so that they fit together more closely. It was a very fulfilling kiss.

Soon, hands began roaming around their bodies, tugging at shirts and tweaking nipples. Hips began grinding into each other, and moans were released from throats involuntarily. Things would have continued to progress quickly if a phone didn't begin to ring noisily.

Riku lazily lifted his head from the crook of Sora's neck where he had been nibbling gently. The lime green phone on his desk was trilling insistently, and would continue to do so unless someone got up and answered it. With an over exaggerated sigh, Riku shoved himself up and off of Sora and the bed and made his way over to the offending device.

"Hello, Riku Himura speaking?" The silver haired boy stood with one hip jutted out to the side and one leg straight beneath him, looking somewhat like an impatient female.

Sora listened to Riku's side of the conversation for a few moments, then quickly lost interest when it didn't seem to be very interesting. He was talking to someone who sounded very boring, and Riku didn't even look like he was enjoying the call.

The brunette trailed his fingers over his kiss-swollen lips, down his love-bitten neck, all the way to the flat plane of his stomach beneath his navel. He was truly very horny, and desperately wanted Riku to be finished with his phone conversation so that they could continue where they left off, but he wasn't holding his breath that it would happen any time soon.

Riku, whilst talking to a very boring person on the phone—some classmate that wanted to confirm the assignment due for the following week—and twirling a strand of hair around a thin finger, looked over to Sora. He watched as the boy ghosted his hands across his flesh, teasing himself here and there. The arousal of his companion was hard to miss as it was tenting his pants quite a bit. As Sora's hand moved farther down his body, slight gasps and moans escaped from his delicious lips and his body began writhing. The boy was obviously very turned on, and in need of some attention.

"Look, Zexion. As much as I am enjoying this conversation, I really have to go. I'm sure if you start writing the paper now, Mr. Loire would be more than happy to edit it for you before it's due. Sure, I'll start working on mine too, and we can compare. Yes, I'll make sure that Sora does as well. Thank you, Zexion. I'll definitely do that. Tell your father hello, won't you. Yes, I'll make sure of that. Okay, have a good day. Bye." Riku groaned as he hung up the phone. He really disliked talking to Zexion on the phone. Not only was the boy way too obsessed with schoolwork, but he was also boring as all get out.

"Ri~ku…are you done now? Can we finish?" Sora moaned.

The aqua eyed boy nodded emphatically and rushed over to the lithe brunette on the bed. He had just leaned down to steal a kiss when Cloud poked his head into the room. "Hey, boys. Lunch is ready." Upon noticing what they two were actually doing, he raised one golden eyebrow and shot them a look that practically screamed, "Oh, really now?" Both knew that they wouldn't be finishing up any time in the near future.

_-_-_-_-_

"But, Dad!" Riku whined, sliding into the back seat of the Aurora. He did not want to go to his appointment, but he knew that Sephiroth would make him anyways. It was part of the deal the court made with Sephiroth four years previous during one of the court hearings…the time that Auron tried to take him from his family. The court had decided that it would be far better for Riku to stay with Sephiroth and attend mandatory therapy than for him to be ripped away and given to a man who couldn't even keep his own family together.

Sephiroth turned around in the driver's seat and pinned Riku with his glare. "No. We are going, and you will stay there for the full fifty minutes, and you will use the time as wisely as possible. I just…I just want you to be okay, Riku." The longhaired man sighed in frustration. "Look, Riku. The courts are mandating this therapy, and right now, we can't go against that. If you want these appointments to stop, you'll have to contact the court. Tell them…tell them that you don't need them anymore. Until then, you'll go…and you'll stop fighting me, okay?"

Riku hated seeing his dad so upset. The man had done so much for him lately, for the past six years and some…and just because he was a teenager, didn't mean that Riku had to start rebelling. Sephiroth and Cloud didn't deserve that. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'll go; it's okay. I'll be all right, for you, and for Sora."

A small smile flared to life on Sephiroth's face before he turned around once more to face the road. He started the car, and they made their way across town to the court-mandated therapist…who charged way more than was necessary.

_-_-_-_-_

"So, Riku. Tell me about last week. How did things go for you?" A tall, blonde man with understanding blue eyes, Ansem really seemed to care about his patients. Riku had always felt like he could talk to the man, which was probably why he had come so far in his therapy in the four short years he had been attending.

"Um…" Riku began. He didn't know exactly what to say. The previous week had been no different from the week before, or even the week before that. "On…Tuesday I think it was…I had a dream about Saix again."

Ansem nodded and wrote something on his large, yellow legal pad. "Can you tell me about the dream, Riku?"

The younger boy took a deep breath and swallowed compulsively a few times. He hated talking about his dreams of Saix with anyone. They were private, his. It felt…wrong…to talk about them. Even Sora, whom he dearly cared for, could not get the information out of him. And even though he felt like he could talk with Ansem, this was one thing that would not be revealed.

"I'm sorry…I can't. I mean, I can't remember anything more than that Saix was in my dream." Ansem knew that Riku was lying to him, but let the boy get away with it. It was obvious to him that the boy didn't want to let go of those memories. Saix was someone that was special to the silverette, and it seemed to him that if he were to tell anyone else about those dreams, that would make them…less special. Ansem understood well.

"That is quite all right, Riku. You don't have to say anything more. I won't press. How has your relationship with Marlene and Denzel been? Any stress?"

Riku shook his silver locks. "No, we all get along just fine. Denzel teases Sora and me, but we tease him right back…like brothers should, I suppose. It's nothing malicious, just all in good fun. Marlene treats us like her children sometimes, even though she is younger. Sora thinks it's cute, but I don't know how I feel about it. I haven't had a mother since I was three…so…I don't know." He was at a loss for words… How do you explain how it feels to have a younger girl pretend to be your mom, especially when you can't remember how a real mom acts?

Ansem nodded his blonde head once more, understanding twinkling in his brilliant blue eyes. "Ah, yes. Young girls tend to idolize their parents, especially their mothers. They want to be just like them when they are older. Marlene probably misses her mother quite a bit, and thinks that if she can't have a mother, she can pretend to be one. It most likely helps Sora and Denzel, boys who vividly remember their parents. But for you, Riku…it has to be hard. You don't remember your mother, correct?" At Riku's nod, he continued.

"Because of this…absence of memory…you don't know how you should react to her mothering. Some boys would be irritated that their younger sister has taken it upon herself to tell you what to do and worry about you. But still other boys would be ecstatic to have someone care so much. But…for you, Riku…you already have two loving parents. It is a bit different because they are both male, but he dynamic is still almost exactly the same. Sephiroth is your father, giving you strength and guidance. And Cloud is more like your mother, lending you an ear to talk to and giving you self-confidence. You already have both sides to your coin…so how do you react to a young girl trying to add to that?

"Marlene is an unknown variable, something hard to deal with, am I correct? She wants what is best for you, without seeing that you already have some one to do that."

Riku was astounded. He knew that Ansem was a very good therapist, but he had never realized how much talent that man had not shown. Everything he had said had been correct, but there was one thing he had left out. "Sora," the boy said softly.

"What, my boy?" Ansem queried.

Making his voice a little louder, Riku repeated, "Sora. You forgot to mention him. Sephiroth is my father, giving me strength and guidance; Cloud is my mother, giving me some who will listen and self-confidence. But you forgot to mention Sora, how he gives me unconditional love, support, and the will to get better on my own. And then there is Denzel…giving me someone to argue with, someone to tease…a true little brother. Because of this…Marlene doesn't fit in right now."

"And why do you think that is? Just because of the other people in your life, or is it something more?"

Riku carded a delicate hand through his medium-length hair, sighing and searching for the answers. "I think… I think it is because she is trying to be my mother. If she would just be my little sister, it would be okay. She'd have a place in my life. But, she isn't…and I don't need two mothers…so she doesn't fit."

Ansem smiled, looking deep into Riku's aqua eyes. "Then, here's your assignment for this next week. I would like you to tell Marlene how you feel. Tell her whether or not you appreciate what she is doing, and tell her what you would like to see from her in the future. Make sure that you try and respect her feelings and wishes too. Don't shove your opinion in her face, okay?"

With a slow nod, Riku smiled. He could do that. It wasn't a big deal. He'd tell Marlene that as much as he appreciated her trying to be his mother and worry about him, he didn't need another mom. Marlene could just be herself, his sweet little sister, someone for him to protect. If she did that, she'd definitely have a place…one that was distinctly hers. He thought that she might understand that.

"All right, Riku, our time is up for today. I'll see you next week, okay? I expect you to let me know how things went with Marlene. And make sure you don't pick on Denzel too much."

"Of course, Ansem. I'll see you next week."

"Have a good day, Riku."

"You too."

Sephiroth was waiting for Riku out in the lobby. As soon as the boy left the room, his father placed a large hand on his shoulder. "How did it go?"

A huge smile graced Riku's face. "Good. I have some stuff to talk with Marlene about, but everything will be fine." He paused for a moment, before deciding that he could tell his father this important thing. "Dad?"

"Yes, Riku?" Sephiroth looked curiously down at his son.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Riku. I always will."


End file.
